Chapter Four

When Joelle woke the next morning she woke confused as to how she was in her tent, then all at once last night's events came rushing to her. Opening the tent she was met with a blindingly bright light, she waited a second to adjust to the light before continuing her trek to the campfire that everyone sat around.

T-Dog offered her a plate full of beans, carrots and egg, "Protein, helps with hangovers," he explained.

"Thanks T-Dog, much appreciated," she returned with a smile, before turning to her meal, eating slowly trying to avoid the questions and pitying glances. That was the worst part the pity, Joelle didn't need the pity, didn't want it.

"So the barns full of Walkers" Glenn said casually as if he was talking about the weather.

There was silence and the tension was thick, then all at was everyone's voice filled the air, Shane's was the loudest as he yelled at rick, "You cannot tell me you're alright with this."

"I'm not but this isn't our land!"

They continued arguing but Joelle walked away she didn't really mind it didn't affect her she could take care of herself. All she wanted was to find her sister, to have whispered conversation late at night about girly things like makeup and sex. She wanted so badly for her family to be okay she had already lost her parents and her daughter she couldn't lose someone else.

After eating breakfast and cleaning up, Joelle offered to take watch relieving Dale from his watch. It was quiet on the RV it was calm, peaceful, it relaxed her tight muscles. Joelle sat back in one of the rickety old chairs that sat up on the roof. She sat and watched as everyone went about their daily activities.

Andrea was walking past when Joelle decided to ask if anyone had seen rick, "Hey Andrea, you seen Rick?"

"He walked off with Hershel a few hours ago, he should be back soon though" she replied with a small smile.

"Thanks Andrea" she continued to watch horizon until she heard shouting, looking over she saw Shane handing out guns, What the hell is he doing, thought Joelle as she watched the seen unfold until T-Dog spoke "Oh shit!"

Rick came out of the woods with Hershel, with a walker on a stick. This made Shane snap. He yelled as he ran towards Rick. The rest of the group followed him. Shane screamed about Rick helping round up the walkers. Joelle knew this would get ugly real quick as she jumped off the RV and ran over to the group. Shane started shouting about how they weren't people and he shot the one on the stick.

Shane said, "Could a person survive this?" He shot the woman multiple times in vital areas, daring Hershel to challenge him. Hershel broke down as Shane shot the woman realising that he had it wrong, these walkers were no longer people there was no hope for their redemption. They were never going to get better, the old world was gone, and this was the world they had to deal with now.

Hershel's world shattered, he had been wrong, so very, very wrong to keep them instead of killing them humanly, Hershel stopped moving while Shane screamed, "Enough of living next to a barn full of things that can kill us."

"Shane! Enough!" Rick tried to reason.

"Yeah, you're right, that is enough!" Shane replied stalking up to the woman on Hershel stick and shot her in the brain.

Rick watched as Shane ran towards the barn, "NO! Shane do not do this brother!" Rick screamed but Shane ignored him and continued to strike at the Walker filled barn

As he broke open the door the Walkers stumbled out. The others started to shoot at them, taking her handgun out Joelle joined them. Joelle thought that Shane was one fucking asshole to have done this to Hershel and the group, he had no right to.

The walkers were dropping fast and Joelle was surprised how many were there, they kept shooting. Hershel would throw them out after this; he would hate them all for Shane's stupidity. The farm was silent as the last Walker fell, it was done. Everyone dropped their guns relaxing for a second before they began the clean-up.

A low moaning caught everyone attention and they watched as a young female Walker stumbled out, "NO! JUSTINE! NO! GOD NO! TINA!" Joelle's screamed ripped through the silence as she sprinted towards the walker who looked like a replica of the live woman running towards it.

Daryl managed to get his arms around her as he pulled to the ground, "No, no, no, no, no, please god no, not my sister… JUSTINE!" she sobbed as the Walker stumbled closer. The group was shocked, silent, even Shane looked sad no one wanted to put down Joelle and Rick's sister. No body moved until Rick took out his gun and walked towards his sister, he cocked his gun aiming it at her head, he hesitated before taking the shot, killing her for the last time.

Joelle pushed Daryl away as she ran to her fallen sister cradling her head gently in her lap, "I am so sorry Tina I am so, so sorry," cried Joelle as she rocked back and forth tears streaming down her face.

Beth had also run to someone, her mother, but unlike Justine, Annette wasn't dead, Shane, Rick and Glenn tried to pull her away but it wasn't until Andrea put a scythe through her skull that they could. Hershel pulled her daughter back to the house along with Maggie, Jimmy and Patricia. The group started to clear away the walkers putting them in two piles ones to be buried the others to be burned.

After the group was finished Joelle as still sitting there holding her sister everyone was afraid to approach her even Rick but the body had to be moved before it started to smell any worse.

"Joe we need to move her please lets bury our sister, together, so she can be put to peace." Rick said placing a hand on his sister's shoulder, the other were watching reading to help.

"Why can I protect them, why can't I keep my family safe Rick everyone is dying around me and I can't take you, Carl, Lori and Lucas being like that I can't Rick, please I need you to stay alive" Sobbed Joelle and everyone couldn't help but cry for the girl, she was so broken sitting there with her sister.

It was hard for Rick to watch his sister like this, hell it was hard because he just lost a sister. But Joelle had always been so strong for the family she was their rock their steadfast rock and now, now she was broken so very broken.

"I will always be hear Joe. Mum, Dad, Ally, Tina we're all here with you just because you can't see us, or because we've moved on doesn't mean we're not here," Rick said gently, "Now come one Joe let's put Tina to rest."

The service for Justine and Hershel's family was sweet and beautiful. Joelle watched as Rick and Daryl gently lowered Justine into the shallow grave, silent tears streaming down her face.

Ricks words were simple yet sweet, "Justine was the life of our family it was as if she never fully grew up, she always had so much energy and could cheer someone up simply by smiling. She was our sister, our friend and she was taken before we were ready to say goodbye." Turning Rick took Joelle's hand, "We're still not ready but goodbye Justine we will miss you, we love you."

Joelle stepped forward and placed a Cherokee Rose by the headstone, "This is a Cherokee Rose, it bloomed for you Tina. I'm sorry I couldn't find you, I wasn't strong enough but I will find Lucas he will be safe. Watch over us sister, we love you, Goodbye." With that she walked away.

She didn't think about where she was going but when she did stop to look around she could see the edge of Daryl's small camp and with a sigh she sat. Joelle wanted to cry for the loss of her sister but no tears would come. She had lost too many people too soon in the apocalypse and didn't know how much more pain she could take, if she lost Rick, or Lucas… she didn't think she could survive that much loss.

I branch snapped and Joelle whirled to see Shane standing there, she stood and backed away as he came towards her, each of his steps she backed away three. He was too close, way too close, Joelle couldn't handle being this close to any man other than Rick and Lucas, even her dad couldn't come near her after those nights. Rick and Lucas had been a struggle for her at first.

"What do you want," Joelle's voice surprising her with its strength.

"I want you, you made a fool of me Joelle but I'm willing to overlook that for a bit of fun and you will do as I say." His voice was harsh and she knew he was deadly serious. She quickened her pace until her back hit a tree. Her eyes searched wildly for an escape but there wasn't one. She was close to Daryl's camp now and god she hoped he was there.

Before she could react Shane was on her he grabbed her face and put his mouth on hers in a sloppy kiss. She turned her face and slapped him, "Get the fuck off me! Get off! Help!"

He was starting to pull at her clothes, so she did the only thing she could she screamed loud, she waited but it seemed like no one heard. Shane who had stopped when she screamed smirked and continued to pull on her clothes. Her shirt came off with a rip. "No, no, no, no, no" was all she could say as he moved to take of her pants.

Then suddenly he was gone. Joelle, who had closed her eyes, opened them to find Shane on the ground with Daryl on top beating him to a pulp, "don't ya dare put yer hands on an unwillin' woman!" Daryl spat at him then pushed back to the ground.

He turned to Joelle who was still shaking against the tree, her ripped top lying in shreds on the ground. Daryl took off his vest and handed it to her when she didn't move he placed it over her shoulders, picked her up bridal style and carried her to his tent.

Daryl laid her down gently as if she was made of glass. Joelle who had been shaking uncontrollably stopped as she lay in the tent. The tent was cozy and smelled like pine trees, wood smoke, tobacco and forests. The smell was purely Daryl and she liked it, being there with Daryl made her feel safe and she didn't understand why.

For the first time in months she felt safe enough in this man's presence to fall asleep and that's what she did but not before she let a soft "thank you" slip from her lips.